Construction has always thrived on the introduction of new technologies that Specialist Contractors can use to provide innovative solutions. We are delighted to read about a brand new form of concrete that is currently being developed that has the capacity to bend. Scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore have been working on the new technology, which they believe will reduce the maintenance requirements to keep concrete in a stable condition, while also making construction work more efficient.The material has been dubbed ConFlexPave and it is formed by combining the regular components of concrete, such as cement; gravel; sand and water with additional polymer microfibers that increase the flexibility of the end result also incorporated. These fibres allow the concrete to flex when it is put under tension, which NTU claims makes it two times stronger than traditional concrete when placed under bending forces.

Assistant professor Yang En-Hua, who is part of NTU’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, spoke more about the work that went into the new material. He stated:

“With detailed understanding, we can then deliberately select ingredients and engineer the tailoring of components, so our final material can fulfil specific requirements needed for road and pavement applications.

“…The hard materials give a non-slip surface texture, while the microfibers, which are thinner than the width of a human hair, distribute the load across the whole slab, resulting in a concrete that is tough as metal and at least twice as strong as conventional concrete under bending.”

The team claims that ConFlexPave has been specially designed so that it can be precast into slabs to allow for quick installation, reducing the programmes of various civil engineering and building projects. Better yet, the polymer fibres also make the material skid resistant, making it safer to drive and walk on.

While this is all exiting stuff, it is worth noting that the material has only been tested in tablet-sized batches so far; the real test coming when the team ups the size of the slabs to see if the results remain consistent.

Innovations of this type are what the industry needs; potentially delivering reduced build times for Specialist Contractors. At C-Link we are therefore delighted to hear about the work currently ongoing in Singapore. Who knows? In a few years’ time some of the Specialists who are using the C-Link platform will be able to offer this new material.